The fun of climbing up walls

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that in addition to running, Crossfit, swimming and occasional Bikram yoga session, I also like bouldering and rock-climbing.

I knew nothing about bouldering a year or two ago but I have two little boys who like to climb things (anything, really) so we signed them up for climbing lessons at the White Spider in Surbiton. Soon after they started I got bored of just sitting there waiting for them and started climbing myself. It takes a while for your hands and forearms to get used to this new kind of ‘exercise’ but it’s been a lot of fun from the start.

Firstly, it’s great exercise without actually feeling like exercise. You may have noticed that I generally dislike anything that’s labelled exercise and tend to love things that are more labelled ‘sport’. Spinning classes vs. Running & racing. Body pump vs. Crossfit. You get the idea. It’s just a mental quirk I have – probably due to many humiliating aerobics classes in my youth (I especially dislike classes in front of mirrors!).

Bouldering is just climbing up walls. And contrary to the negative meaning of this phrase, I mean it in a NICE way. You climb at your own pace, at your own level. In between you chat with the people you’re with, or if you’re alone you chat with others there as there’ always somebody sitting down resting in between the climbs. In between you can also have a coffee. Or do a few pull ups or double unders or handstands or headstands – the whole floor is mats so it’s nice a safe to practice your handstands.

I also like the fact that the different climbing routes are called “problems”. There’s something about working on those problems and overcoming them one by one. Some problems take a few go-s, some problems take a few weeks, but eventually they get taken care of! Happy days.

Of course I’m not eyeing the problems that are for professionals, let’s just keep it in perspective – I’m working on MY list of problems, not somebody else’s :)

Lovely technique in your video!
I spent around 5 years climbing obsessively – Rock, Ice, Mountains but I never took to bouldering strangely. I do love the social side of climbing, the fact you have to think a little about placement and your right it is a good workout – Even if it’s not a workout I do often anymore